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When Jonathan Haggerty first stepped into the ONE Championship Circle against Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, he was just a kid chasing a dream. But to Chatri Sityodtong, it was like watching David face Goliath.
Notably, Haggery faced Sam-A in May 2019 and secured a unanimous decision victory.
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As per Sityodtong, Haggerty had the audacity to fight one of the greatest Muay Thai legends like he didn't give a damn. In the ONE 171 post-event press conference, the 54-year-old praised Haggerty and said:
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"Sam-A is a multiple-time world champion, one of the greatest in the history of Muay Thai. And who's the opponent? Oh, this guy, this kid called Jonathan Haggerty, who's 14 or 12 or two or something like that. I haven't seen, I have never heard of Jonathan. So I thought, it's like a blue belt going up against a Gracie family member or something."
What stood out the most to Chatri was Haggerty's demeanor.
"He walked in there and he looked like he didn't give a damn who that person was," Sityodtong recalled. "I was shocked. It was an incredible fight, and that was my first introduction to Jonathan."
For Haggerty, Sam-A was just another hurdle to overcome. That fearless mentality set the stage for the remarkable career that followed.
Jonathan Haggerty says his win over legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao is still his toughest: "He cut me and broke my nose"
That night was memorable to different people for a variety of reasons. For Chatri, he was amazed by the nonchalance of Jonathan Haggerty going up against a Muay Thai legend. For the 28-year-old, it was his toughest fight to date.
Haggerty recalled the match that earned him the title of ONE flyweight Muay Thai champion:
"That Sam-A fight was the hardest fight I've had. Go back and watch it. That was the second fight. He didn't hit hard, but he was just sharp and fast. But year, he cut me and broke my nose."
On Feb. 20, Haggerty successfully defended his kickboxing belt via unanimous decision against Wei Rui, who entered the bout on a staggering 21-fight win streak.
